Conversion of (CH.sub.3).sub.3 Al and NH.sub.3 to aluminum nitride is known: Bahr, FIAT, Rev. Ger. Sci., Inorg. Chem. II, 155 to 179 (1948). The reaction is as follows: EQU (CH.sub.3).sub.3 Al.NH.sub.3 .fwdarw.(CH.sub.3).sub.2 AlNH.sub.2 .fwdarw.CH.sub.3 AlNH.fwdarw.AlN.
Laubengayer et al., J. Amer. Chem. Soc., 83, pages 542 to 546 (1961), disclose the reactions of amines at low temperatures with aluminum alkyls or alkyl aluminum chlorides to form 1:1 addition compounds. When such addition compounds having N-H and Al-R bonding are pyrolyzed, aluminum nitride is produced.
Interrante, in a meeting of the Materials Research Society, April, 1986, at Palo Alto, Calif., disclosed the conversion of C.sub.2 H.sub.5 AlNH to aluminum nitride in the presence of ammonia. The aluminum nitride produced with ammonia contained less carbon than that formed without it. Interrante also disclosed that C.sub.2 H.sub.5 AlNH is converted to aluminum nitride at 300.degree. C. to 900.degree. C. with retention of morphology.
Japanese Patent 54-13439 discloses a method for the production of aluminum nitride in the form of a powder.
Additional relevant background includes the following: Strength of Aluminum Nitride Whiskers, Gribkov et al., Izvestiya Akademii Nauk SSSR, Neorganicheskie Materialy, Vol. 13 (10) pages 1775 to 1778, (1977); Role of Liquid Drops in the Growth of Filamentary Crystals of Aluminum Nitride, Portnoi et al., Izvestiya Akademii Nauk SSSR, Neorganicheskie Materialy, Vol. 6 (10) pages 1762 to 1767 (1970); Growth of AlN Whiskers During the Nitriding of Aluminum, Portnoi et al., Poroshkovaya Metallurgiya No. 5 (89) pages 10 to 14 (1970).
Canada 839,321 discloses AlN by carbothermal reduction of alumina. Fibers made according to the method disclosed in this patent contain excessive amounts of carbon. Japan 61-124626 discloses a method for making AlN fibers from aluminum metal fibers or from a solution of an aluminum compound. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,846,527 and 4,010,233 make reference to metal nitride fibers. This route to AlN fibers uses the carbothermal reductive nitridation reaction with attendant problems of either excess O or C. Significant carbon residues also characterize the AlN fibers disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,740,574. 3,529,044 discloses aluminum carbide and that if nitrogen is used, then metal nitride fibers result. The problem with such fibers would be the presence of too much C or O. U.S. Pat. No. 3,658,979 discloses large diameter fibers with a thin film of AlN on the surface. EPA 213,629 discloses aluminum nitride fibers prepared by heating precursor fibers, spun from a solution of aluminum oxychloride and polyvinyl alcohol, in nitrogen.